Page 91 of Yours and Mine (Friends with Benefits)

I punched him lightly in his right arm and rolled my eyes. “You know, talking to you makes time go by faster.”

“Thanks. I enjoy your company as well. So, since Nick is gone, do you need someone to pet you too?” he asked.

“In your dreams, Carter.”

“Hey, it was worth a shot.”

“See, that’s the kind of thing you shouldn’t say to Molly.”

“Of course, but when the cat’s away, the mice will play.” He wiggled his brows playfully.

“Molly’s not leaving until next weekend.”

“I’m just trying to get a head start. You know, we can keep each other company while our significant others are out of town.”

I sighed and shook my head. At least Carter would remain in town to keep me entertained over the next two years.

“Of course we can.”

Something swirled in my stomach. We closed the gate to Betsy’s field and I touched my hand to my navel. And just as Betsy lifted her tail to do her number two, I bent over in half and puked. The nausea came out of nowhere – well, maybe Betsy helped a bit – but I couldn’t stop it. My stomach was being emptied with a jetting force. I felt it tighten into one small blob. The vomit spilled out of my mouth and nose at the same time, tiring me out.

“That’s disgusting!” I heard from the side. Carter passed me a piece of cloth and I wiped my mouth. When I stood back up, I realized that he’d taken off his shirt, and I’d stained it with my vomit. My head hummed, Carter’s silhouette faded in and out of focus, and I blacked out.

When I opened my eyes, I was on the ground, staring into Carter’s and Betsy’s eyes.

“There you are. What was that?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“I’m taking you to Doctor Burke.”

“I forgot about breakfast. That must be it.”

“Jo, no one throws up because they miss breakfast. Were you feeling okay this morning?”

“Just tired.”

“My house is around the corner. Let’s grab some water and drive to the clinic.”

“It’s not far away.”

“You’re not walking.”

He scooped me into his arms, and shirtless, he carried me. Maybe it was a better idea that I didn’t walk, because my legs felt like they’d been amputated. Carter put on a fresh shirt at home, gave me a bottle of water, and holding me steady under his arm, walked me to his car. Barely a minute later, we arrived at the clinic.

Doctor Burke waved us in as soon as he saw us at the front door of the clinic, which was also his house.

“Good morning, Carter, Joelle. I hope nothing bad brings you in this morning.”

“She threw up and fainted.”

“Has this happened before?”

“No,” I answered.

“Wait – you fainted at the wedding as well, didn’t you?”

“Well, then yes.”

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